1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an attachment designed to be mounted on the rear portion of a harvester for planting seedling crops.
2. Description of Background Art
In cultivating certain crops it is conventional to actually propagate the plant as a seedling and thereafter transplant the seedling into an area in which the seedling will grow into a mature plant. The Burroughs U.S. Pat. No. 2,804,033, discloses a plant setting machine which is connected to a conventional tractor by means of the hitch bar 40 and arm attachments 46, 48. The plant setting machine is mounted on wheels 96 which support the entire weight of the machine on the ground surface.
The Martin U.S. Pat. No. 3,306,239, discloses a transplanting machine which is connected by means of a bar 10 to a tractor T. The weight of the machine is supported on the wheels 9. Similarly, Webster, U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,743, discloses a transplanter 10 which is connected by means of a rod 14 to a tractor T. The machine is supported on the wheels 20 during operation.
Additional planting machines which employ a seedling handling mechanism together with a tractor are disclosed by Braun et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,135; Boa et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,333 and Paladino, U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,316. These transplanting machines are similar to the machines discussed hereinabove and support the entire weight of the seedling handling device on wheels specifically provided for that purpose.